Ready to Convert

I am ready to convert back. I had a Powermac 7200 in college, but switched to Windows machines for work purposes. The news of the switch to Intel does not change my timeframe because my 5 year old Gateway AMD 750 has seen better days. Here is my criteria.

I do most of the above today except for editing video and I have a stack of home videos begging for work. I tried once on my current machine after installing a firewire card. It just could not handle the video upload despite Gatway's claims to the contrary. I plan on using the software that comes with iLife to work on the video. Basically, I am trying to decide if a mac mini with 512 RAM will work or if I need to pony up the extra money on the iMac. I will probably pass whatever I buy on to my kids in three years when they are old enough to play around on it. What is the consensus of the group?

My monitor is the 5 year old 17" CRT that came with the package so the thought of a new one is appealing. Money is not really the issue however, I was thinking that the Mini would be a cheaper alternative. Although I am familiar with the older Mac OS and think that the transition will be smooth, my wife has only used up to Windows 98. My fear is that she will not adjust rapidly, get frustrated, and want the old Windows back. Also, even though I said that the switch to Intel does not change the fact that I need a new computer, I know that I will keep the iMac longer (at least 4 - 5 years) than a Mini (2 - 3 years max). Should I be at all concered by this?

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